The Missouri State Highway Patrol reports nine individuals died in traffic crashes during the Christmas holiday weekend. The counting period ran from Friday evening at 6 o’clock to last (Tuesday) night at 11:59. The Patrol investigated 294 crashes, 80 injuries, and six of the fatalities.
The Blue Springs Police Department is investigating the other three fatalities. The Patrol also made 106 arrests for driving while intoxicated.
One fatality accident happened south of Cameron Saturday. Fifty-seven year old Correna Masters of Kearney died when the pickup truck in which she was a passenger ran off the east side of Interstate 35 northbound, drove down an embankment, and crashed into the north bank of Shoal Creek. The driver, 59 year old Harvey Arnold of Kearney, sustained serious injuries, and neither person wore a seat belt.
Another fatality accident happened northwest of Chillicothe Monday. Eighty year old Edward Gault of Kansas City, Kansas died when the car he drove crested a hill on Highway 190 at an alleged high rate of speed, went airborne, and ran off the north side of the road. The car then continued down a ditch, struck an embankment, went airborne again, and overturned onto its top on the north side of Highway 190. A passenger, 15 year old Josh Gault of Chillicothe, sustained serious injuries, and both persons wore a seat belt.
